Nopon Hospitality
by LuckyBlackCat
Summary: Set post game. Spoilers. Melia goes calling for Riki, but instead has a surprising conversation with his wife Oka.


**A/N Set post-game again. I've been sitting on this fic a while and I'm still not sure about it. It's very um 'cutesy'. But as I'm not going to do anything else to it I thought I'd chuck it on here. I tried to summon happy Melia but as she seems (to me anyway) so sad at the end of the game, it's hard to do. **

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"Riki _bad_ hubbypon," Oka told Melia as she bustled round the kitchen. "He say he go out to fish for littlepon when really he go out fighting with Hom Hom friends. I say he not Heropon anymore but he say he always Heropon, he _volunteer_!"

Melia nodded mutely, trying to put her 'understanding' face on. She had come calling for Riki but he hadn't been home. She had planned to make a polite exit, but it was difficult when Oka demanded she come in for "best Nopon tea in colony."

There were two littlepon in the kitchen with them. They had been thrilled to see their "Auntie-pon Bird Lady" but were now engrossed with a game involving toy racing buggies.

"You lucky you not have hubbypon to eat all the food and make big mess," Oka continued.

Melia nodded again. It was hard to admit she was intimidated by a Nopon, but she _was_.

"You drink tea now," Oka said, presenting her with a mug.

"Thank you," Melia said, taking the mug. The warm golden liquid had an appealing smell that was hard to resist. She took a careful sip.

"You nice girl. Good for my Riki," proclaimed Oka. "But you very sad. I think you be sad for a bit longer and then you be happy again. You then find hubbypon and have lots of children."

Melia choked on the tea.

"Um-I-I'm sure you're very busy, I should really get out of your way and-"

"You not in way. Sit and wait for no good bad hubbypon, Oka not mind."

It was an order. Melia sat and waited while Oka bustled round with a broom, sweeping up debris that was apparent to her eyes only.

"Play with us, Auntie Melly," said one of the littlepon.

Melia, unable to resist the request, got down on her hands and knees beside the two littlepon. They presented her with a sky blue painted buggie and she was instructed to push it as far as she could across the wooden floor when the countdown reached zero. The buggie that reached the furthest was the winner.

When Riki got back, they were in the middle of a complex buggie tournament. The rules were revised every five minutes and Melia couldn't make head nor tail of it. However, the minute Riki walked in the tournament was completely abandoned anyway.

"Dadapon! Dadapon!" they squealed. "Dadapon bring food?"

Dadapon had indeed brought food. Oka made a 'tch' sound and rolled her eyes. But then she went up and kissed him on the cheek, much to his delight. They were a family and were unwittingly making Melia feel like she was an intruder who did not belong.

But then Riki smiled at her and leaped up for a hug, which she was all too happy to give.

"Riki so happy to see Melly!" said Riki.

"Auntie Melly been playing racing buggies with us," said one of the littlepon.

"Will she come and play again?" asked the other.

"I would be delighted," said Melia, touched at the request.

"For you," said the first littlepon, holding out the sky blue buggie.

"I cannot take your toys, they belong to you," she said dumbfounded.

"Is not to take, is to borrow," said the littlepon. "Then you bring back and we play lots more!"

"Riki think it sound like good plan," said Riki.

Melia put the toy in her pocket.

"Thank you very much," she said. "And actually, I came to give you this,"

She showed Riki a tiny silver hook that glinted all the colours of the rainbow. "I thought you might like to try it on your fishing rod. Certain species of fish are attracted to shiny things."

Riki's face lit up as he took the hook from her.

"Riki _definitely_ catch more fish than Reyn with this! Thank you Melly!"

The littlepon all crowded round, wanting to see the present. Even Oka looked interested.

She found herself staying for the evening. Oka was wonderful story teller. She told Melia the stories had been passed down from her ancestors and they were known as the 'Old Makna Tales'. Melia's favourite story was the one about the Nopon who ran up a Mammut's tail, across his back and onto his head in order to steal the eye he needed for the medicine that would save his sister's life.

Melia went home that night feeling content and content was something she hadn't felt for a long time.

_And to think I once thought I'd never feel happiness again._


End file.
